Quick-throw electric switch



Julie 24 1924.

E. RITZ, JR

QUICK THROW ELECTRIC SWITCH E. RITZ, JR

QUICK THROW ELECTRIC SWITCH June 24 1 924.

Filed Jan. 15 1920 2 sheetsfsheei 2 Patented .lune 24, 1924.

` UNITED STATES PATENr ortie AEMIL RITZ, JR., oRoiNoiiixiNiiTr, oHIo, AssieNoR To WALTER J. FRIRDLANDRR, or'

omoiivivari, oHIo.'r

QUICK-THROW ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filedr January 15, 1920. 1Seria1'Novf3'5L591.

T0 all 'wiz/0m it may concerti.' y i Be it known that I, EMIL Rrrz, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city oit Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State otfOhio, have `invented certain new and usetul Improvements in Quick-Throw Electric Switches, ot whichv the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to they draw ings, forn'iing a part ot this specilication.

Myinvention relates to quick throw electric switches the special embodiment shown beingffor attachment to electric tools, and having a construction particularly adapted to this purpose.

In electric switches for quick throw operatingr on a longitudinal axis, the 'dil'liciilty often encountered is that the operator by failing' to operate them properly may enforce 'in spite of the lmechanism a slight withdrawal of the switch bai-strom the live contacts, thereby causing a spark.

In my device the principle of operation is to retract the operating member. ina direction toward the live contacts, thereby preventing the carrying of the contact member along with the spring member 'in its movement, until the immediate mechanism adjacent the switch contacts come into play.-

I also provide a wedge `form oit operator loi' the movable switch member or members,

which is of special construction so that a pressure in the nature of a lock is provided ii'or the movable member when closed.

My objects and other advantages I accomplish by that certan construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more specifically pointed out and claimed.

' In the drawings,

Figure 1 isa central longitudinal, secwhichA the tubeis socketed, saidy housing having a screwed on lid 3,"onwhat may be termed the upper side thereof. i

IlVithin the tube is a long rodl 4:, which has a iixed collar 5 thereon, andy slidesat its rear end through a journal plate 6 in the tube. A rspring' 7 coiled aroundfthe rod between the collar and the plate tends, when compressed, to throw the rod forwardly.

A handle 8 in the form ot a bell crank lever, is pivoted to the rod at 9y and to the tube casing at 10, so that pressing forward the exposed nger (which extendsthrough a slot in the tube) will accomplish a movement ot' the rod` rearwardly and compress the spring.

The i'od passes at its forward end` through another journal plate 11, and carries within the housing 2 a bifurcatedicasting 12. In the two end bossesl, 13, of the bifurcated'portion ofthe casting, are located the sliding plunger-S14, 14, each of"whichcarries an anti-itrictionk roller '15. The bosses are slotted on two'opposite sides, and the plungersk have pins 16 .which extend `out through the slots. 'A pair of springs 17, 17, secure the pins together and tend to draw the plungerswith their terminal rollers, together, into space between the prongs of the casting. i

A journal plate 18 is mounted across the center ot the housing, and has slots 19 at both sides of thek central opening. In this plate slides the movable switch closing member." This member comprises the switch plates 20, which when thrown into yoperation, extend `across the electrical'contacts 21, loca-ted inthe end ofthe housing.

The switch closing plates are mounted on a rod 22, which rslidesvin the journal plate 18, and carry an additional rod or long pink `23 which slides throughthe forward end so as to carry the rollers forward and back. The rollers ride over the edge of the wedge and a rearward movement of the wedge throws the switch forwardly, or vice versa for a forward movement thereof.

This Operation results from the springs on theV rollers Ywhich draw them together, so

Y that they act on the wedge like an inclined lane.

yAs the bifurcated member is moved rearwardly thereby compressing the long spring in the tube member, the frictional pull of the rollers on the wedge tend to draw the wedge rearwardly also. This `movement compresses the spring 27, since the ring at the rear end thereof strikes the journal plate 18 and is thus held fast.

As shown in Figure 3 the rollers when they reach the apicesof the wedge or dian mond, and start to pass it, will release the wedge with a jerk becauseof the'spring 27 being under tension. Assisted by the forward throw of this small spring theiollers Vwill force the switch member forcibly for-V ward into contact position.

When in contact position, as shown in Figure 4 the rollers will have moved to a position behind the apices of the bevels 25.

VThis will tend to lock the switch in contact My mechanism thereby vprovides for a quick break and quick make, in a switch, which moves on a longitudinal axis. It also tends, during the progress of the movement forward or rearward, to preserve the-contact members away from any sparking position, instead of exposing them to it.

It is not intended, because of my failure above to point out equivalent structures, to limit -my claims that follow to the exact structure set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent islz- Y ,1. In a quick throw electric switch, the

combination with' a reciprocating member,

of a movable switch closing element, a wedge member on the switch closing element, and

the rearward movement and to hasten the Y forward movement of the. reciprocating member, and a spring on the switch closing element adapted to be compressed by the force of closing the said element.

2. In a quick throw electric switch, the combination` with a reciprocating member, of a movable switch closing element, a wedge member on the switch closing element, and resilient contractible means adapted to be positively moved over and straddle the wedge member under control lof the reciprocating member, and adapted to move it into contact position, in a forward direction upon a rearward movementy of said resilient means, and a spring on said movable switch member adapted to be compressed under the frictional pull of rearward movement of said resilient means. Y i

8. In a quick throw electric switch, the combination of a movable switch member, a diamond-shaped piece thereon, a bifui'- cated element moving in the path of said diamond-shaped piece, contractible spring roller means on the bifurcated element, bear-v ing against said diamond shaped piece, and means for moving said bifurcatedv element, comprising a rod, a spring about said rod, andmeans acting against said spring to compress it upon movement of said rod to throw the switch member into contact position, whereby rapid action in a reve-rse Vor switch-opening position is assured, and a spring intermediate the vdiamond shaped piece and the switch member adapted to be compressed when the diamond shaped member is projected tovswitch closing position.

EMIL RITZ, JR. 

